Hitsugaya Toushirou's Second Holiday!
by Adobo-chan
Summary: COMPLETE. Sequel to "Kurosaki Karin's Holiday!" Eight years later, Karin and Toushirou find that some things never change, but that one very important thing has: their relationship. HitsuKarin.
1. Arrival

**AN**: I get a week off of school and how do I spend it? Writing HitsuKarin! That's weird, isn't it? I swear, that's just odd. LOL I know some people didn't want a continuation, while others were unsatisfied with the ending. In the end, I just decided to run with the inspiration. You can't pick your muses, after all. Usually they just put you in a headlock and attack mercilessly. Or maybe that's just me. Who knows? =D

_Summary_: [TWO-SHOT] Sequel to "Kurosaki Karin's Holiday!" Eight years later, Karin and Toushirou find that some things never change, but that one very important thing has: their relationship.

_Warning_: Inspired by 316. Some OOC. What kind? Toushirou flirts and is forward. With Karin. You have been warned! Actually, I don't think it's too OOC just because I think that Toushirou will one day outgrow that mindset that girls are sisters/friends/gross and will one day learn the ability to flirt like a pro. Just saying. :)

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><p>The wind was relentless against the city, as the snow came down in a blizzard-like fashion. Staring outside at suburban Tokyo and its unpredictable weather, Kurosaki Karin let out a sigh befitting a someone distinctly older than her nineteen years, her chin tucked into her hand as she leaned across her desk. It was the last week of school before winter vacation so she was locked up on campus, either taking an exam or studying for the next one. But for some reason she couldn't seem to concentrate on the notes in front of her, as unbidden nostalgia filled her head with childhood memories of ice, soccer and an unexpected encounter with a woman who lived with spirits. It was one of the few memories she had of him, of Hitsugaya Toushirou, the boy who really wasn't one and the man who made her heart pound just at the thought of his attractive face.<p>

Dropping her head to the table, she tossed it about and fisted her hair, grumbling in annoyance. It'd been six months since their last meeting in Soul Society, and all she could think about was that damn kiss he gave her. She wasn't even sure she could call it that, as she remembered the soft but sure tightening of his fingers on her shoulder, the sweet taste of his usually frowning lips and the softest emerald color she'd ever seen. It was enough to drive a woman to madness, and that was what this repetitive cycle truly was, madness. Because no one drove Karin out of sorts with a barely-there peck on the lips and walked away unscathed. Granted, she'd been the one to run from him but that part didn't matter. She swore that no shinigami captain was going to waltz around with the satisfaction that he'd left her with butterflies and just live happily ever after.

By the day's end, Karin knew her nerves were all types of frazzled, as two of her friends led the way out of their building, her hands stuffed in the pockets of her snow coat. With her scarf pulled up to her nose, she sighed noisily, feeling completely not like her usual upbeat self. Trying to distract herself from her thoughts, she adjusted the white beanie on her head, plucking at her dark hair that was falling around her shoulders. As soon as she got home, she was just going to make dinner, take a bath, and pretend she didn't see otherworldly spirits, much less have untamed feelings for one of them. Nodding her head decisively, she didn't notice her two friends stop, nearly colliding into their backs and slipping just the slightest bit against the newly fallen snow.

"Oi, you guys! What's up? Why'd you stop?" she asked, readjusting her bag on her shoulder and trying to see passed them. But she didn't have to, as they parted and her stare met baby blue.

"Oh, there you are, Karin-san," the boy known as Yamada Akio grinned, standing only two yards in front of her. Hearing her two girl friends titter helplessly, Karin had to hold back the immediate need to roll her eyes. As one of the crowned heartthrobs on campus, Akio was known for his pleasant disposition just as much as his pretty eyes and good-looking face. He might've been a year older, but he was famous for treating everyone with respect, even his juniors, as well as for having a strong sense of justice. The perfect guy, many of the girls would squeal, watching with delight as he walked by with a humble smile on his lips. But to Karin, he was a pretty boy that was nice and while not exactly an insult, she wasn't complimenting him either.

"What're you doing here, Akio-senpai?" she asked, still not outgrowing her habit of calling people by their first names. At least she stuck a '-senpai' on the end. Ichi-nii still went around calling a number of the captains by their first names, refusing to attach any sort of respectful title to them unless they looked closer to their father's age. It particularly annoyed Byakuya, but Karin couldn't remember a time when the Kuchiki wasn't irritated by a Kurosaki in one form or another. Her last outing to _Seireitei_ was evidence enough.

"I was actually looking for you," he said with a bright smile, clearing the distance between them. She could feel her friends' presences move off to the side. Not needing to look at their faces, Karin was well aware that they were grinning like Cheshire cats who were going to get a bowl of fresh milk. Silently, she cursed them and their romantic notions with a passion.

"Oh, is that so?" Karin drawled, trying to appear as uninterested in his forwardness as possible. However, his face didn't dim in the slightest and mentally she slapped her forehead. Along with his easy temperament, Yamada was known for being extremely dense, denser than Ichigo even, and that in itself was a feat she'd thought impossible before now.

"Yes. I was wondering if you were doing anything tonight." Two familiar high-pitched gasps could be heard, as she fought down the vein that was pulsing beneath her hairline. Damn them and damn him. It did make her feel better that she was cursing someone's existence that wasn't Toushirou's though, but that was besides the point.

"Ah, well, actually I—"

"She's completely free!" Yukari jumped in, moving to stand right behind Karin, her eyes positively sparkling at the moment. Their other friend, Haruko, was nodding in agreement, her own irises just as determined. In the back of Karin's mind, she wondered if she could draw in a Hollow and have it toss her female companions around a little. While morbid, she declared it wasn't her worst idea. It's not like she'd let them get eaten or anything, just thrown across school or off campus, completely harmless.

"That's great! I wanted to know if you'd be willing to go to dinner with me tonight," the cheerful man offered, watching her expression with eagerness that she couldn't seem to squash. She hated that well-trained conscience of hers, the one that picked fights with bullies and protected the weak without question. Right now, the latter was becoming progressively more irritating, as her refusal choked her airway and left her scrambling for words. _Just shake your head_, she commanded herself silently, but those puppy-esque eyes were so full of anticipation that she couldn't just—

"Karin has plans."

Four pairs of eyes went to the voice behind Akio, one specific pair large and shocked with her jaw dropping at the newcomer's arrival. In all his _gigai_'s glory stood Hitsugaya Toushirou, hands shoved into his pockets and looking very much at home in light winter clothes, in spite of the freezing weather. Karin noticed that he looked older, perhaps twenty-two, and the thought made her frown. He'd looked younger than her when she'd left and yet he'd aged years in only a few months' time. Probably had something to do with the _gigai_, she concluded.

"Karin, who's _that_?" Yukari gestured excitedly at the white-haired man, eyes like hearts and with a smile about to split her face. With a frown, she turned back from her to glare at Toushirou, who seemed impervious to the blatant irritation she was trying to communicate with him. Instead, his gaze was focused on the human male, watching with veiled distaste and outright challenge, lips slightly upwards as if fighting off a sneer. She hoped she wasn't just reading too far into his emotions because his actions had her flushing, the warmness having nothing to do with deathly cold or setting of the winter sun.

"Toushirou, what're you doing here?" she asked, ignoring Yukari's question and walking over to him. His glance went to her, as he looked her over with an assessing eye. The gesture was much like the one a person would do when they were receiving a priceless valuable, careful but wary in nature. She couldn't say she hated it, not when he looked at her with such tenderness, deliberate and just for her.

"I'm on vacation," he shrugged, as if it was the most normal thing for him. Just the thought made her snort unkindly, knowing that he took a holiday once every decade and that was only because an overworked Matsumoto felt the need to fill it in and file it for his sake (and hers). But now, here he was, a duffle bag strewn over his shoulder and watching Karin with intent she wasn't entirely sure of.

"Is that so?" she asked, clearly uncomfortable having this conversation in front of her friends, a potential date (not really, but she had to be polite) and a few lingering passersby. The fact that the majority were female didn't escape the Kurosaki at all, as she met the death reaper's gaze. And as her heart sped up in her chest, Karin knew that there was no one in any of the three realms that drove her body into overdrive like this, as her senses prickled and her body came to attention. No, that honor was most definitely reserved for Toushirou.

Turning back to the other three, she smiled a bit guiltily while fighting back the growing heat in her face. "I'm sorry guys, I've gotta go. I didn't expect Toushirou to arrive so, um, _early_. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"Karin-san, is that guy your boyfriend?" Akio asked, his face twisted in disapproval at the unconventional styling of the older man. For conservatives in Japanese culture, bleached white hair and eyes the color of the forest did nothing to ease one's worries, but instead seemed to tack them on in spades. Something akin to indignation boiled in her stomach at the negative implication, as she frowned angrily at the other boy. It must have showed in her _reiatsu_ because Toushirou came to her side, face set in that uncaring but helplessly handsome nonchalance of his, as he wrapped a protective arm around the younger girl's waist.

"Let's put it like this: I may not be now, but tomorrow's another day."

With the slightest bit of pressure, he escorted her off the grounds as she sputtered her objections at his declaration.

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><p>Once her university was out of sight, Karin had given the older man a tongue lashing that included <em>not<em> showing up unannounced, _not_ coming to her school, and most especially _not_ insinuating any kind of relationship between the two of them. The last one wasn't all that clear as she'd stuttered through it, face set aflame with her characteristic emotion and bumbling eloquence while being angry at his faintly amused expression. Forget the fact that the slight upturn of his lips were sexy as hell, and that he had been very, very warm pressed to her side. He was in the Living World now, which meant he was going to play by her rules and those rules included not being such a smug bastard.

With reluctance, she showed him how to get to her apartment, which was only two blocks from her university. She'd stomped the entire way, ignoring the odd glances people shot her as she swore up and down each street. Hitsugaya followed at an easier pace, long legs keeping up with her angry treading easily. But he was also smart enough to know that now wasn't the time to tease the overexcited Kurosaki, as they climbed the stairs to the third floor and he sauntered in behind her.

Taking in her dorm, he noticed that it was a small but cozy looking place, as he noticed the living room and connected kitchen adjacent to it. While his place in the Tenth Squad's barracks could devour her small living space, it was quaint and homey, something he hadn't expected of the tomboyish girl. The tables were made of medium brown-colored wood, matching the living room floor and setting off the dark blue rug beneath the coffee table. There was also a large couch that was an off-white shade and her walls were painted in a pale yellow that somehow brightened up the atmosphere.

Placing his things on the floor and taking a seat at the small dining table, he waited as Karin huffed noisily as she made tea, her anger mostly for show now. Her reiatsu wasn't nearly as irritated, falling within a normal Plus's range, though still impossibly more saturated than a normal human's. Luckily she'd been talented enough to suffocate it rather than let it run rampant. If he remembered correctly, Ichigo was still having trouble with that and it only caused trouble once he was back in his world. Kuchiki Rukia had become his unofficial bodyguard because of it, against her older brother's wishes and despite her responsibilities to the Thirteenth Division. Vaguely Hitsugaya couldn't help but wonder if those two had crossed that invisible line between work and pleasure, or if they were just that close. Most likely some strange in-between, knowing the royal and her human savior.

As a tea cup was placed in front of him, Toushirou met the distrustful look of the raven-haired Kurosaki and bit back his own sigh. Somehow, he'd never considered himself a kindred spirit with Ichigo before now, but when he thought of the usually polite Kuchiki's explosive temper he couldn't help but think it was true. Maybe it was retribution for being a prodigy. He had been able to slay nearly anyone and protect all he cared for at a precociously young age, but his largest weakness would be a wisp of a girl living in a completely separate domain. But as he took in the adorably annoyed woman before him, he decided he didn't really mind this punishment all that much.

"I can't believe you came here without telling me," she started, voice an octave lower and her eyes narrowed in leftover anger. He just met her gaze with his own, that even lack of emotion getting to her more than any sarcastic ploy he could've used. "Seriously, Toushirou, what were you thinking?"

"You said to go on vacation, so I did," he said with a shrug of his shoulders, head tilting with the gesture. He couldn't quite hold back his smirk as her eyes flickered in response, her spirit pressure rising just barely above normal. He really did enjoy getting to her, almost as much as she enjoyed getting to him.

"Yes, but with proper warning and not at my school," she spit back, not believing this uncharacteristic display of behavior. He could've waited outside the gates or even at her apartment (she didn't believe she had any secrets from Soul Society), but no. He just had to show up on campus, in front of her friends who she knew would have an earful for her the next day.

"You looked like you needed help. I only did what you could not accomplish on your own."

"I was just about to reject his offer, thank you very much. I was doing just fine without you." At the mention of the impromptu confession, Karin blushed at the memory, more out of embarrassment than flattery. She never wanted something like that to fall into her lap again, and certainly not in front of so many people. She was no good at letting people down gently.

"Oh really?" He snorted, arms crossing over his chest. His eyes took in the redness spreading across her cheeks, narrowing while the edges of his irises darkened. "You looked at a loss for words to me."

"I wasn't!" Karin denied, frown settling into her pretty face while her fists balled along the edge of the table. "Not only that, but what you said to Akio before we left! The hell? Couldn't you be a little more subtle? We're not even dating!"

"Not yet anyway…" he muttered darkly, glowering at her from beneath a row of thick, dark lashes. Karin could feel herself growing warmer beneath his stare, as it turned overtly possessive in nature when he recalled the other boy's attempt to claim what was so rightfully his. And while Hitsugaya had never considered himself a jealous person before, there was certainly no other word for this feeling coursing through him. Just the thought of them dining together, of Karin's pretty laughter or a well-timed quip from her had the knot in his stomach tightening, as he reached for his back only to find that his zanpakuto wasn't there. Tsk-ing at himself, he wished he wasn't in a _gigai_ at the moment, needing a little bit of solace in his inner world before he did something he might truly regret.

"Look, it's been a long day. Why don't you shower and then we'll work out what you're going to do while you're here after." Karin offered the olive branch, pouting a little at the fact that they were at an impasse. But they needed a few moments to themselves, regroup their thoughts and work this entire thing out before they ended up fighting about something stupid. While it was fine to be that way when one was eleven, it didn't really solve any problems at nineteen, she'd learned.

Leading him to the bathroom, she showed him where to put any of his toiletries and the like, suddenly feeling very shy in her own home. He just nodded, taking the towel she gave him before she scampered back into the safety of her main room. There was space to breathe and room to think, two things that didn't seem to exist whenever she stood too close to him. No, not even that. Just knowing he was within reach stole away her common sense, replacing it with her uncharacteristic clumsiness and that rushing of her vital signs, heart bounding while her breath came out in pants.

Looking at the digital clock on the wall, Karin cursed at the time. It was nearly six o'clock and she hadn't even started getting dinner ready. Not only that, but she was cooking for two and she wasn't sure how much she had on hand at the moment. Knowing this particular soul reaper's appetite, she needed to make enough that would sustain him until her next grocery trip tomorrow. Luckily she was heading to Karakura for break in two days, so living with him in her place shouldn't be a problem. She could survive with Toushirou nearby for a little while longer, right?

… Oh God, she hoped so.

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><p>Stepping out of the bathroom with the towel draped across his shoulders, Hitsugaya was greeted with the smells of a home-cooked meal. He could almost feel his stomach growling, the pleasant images of his childhood home coming to meet him as he stepped into the living room. Taking in Karin's form, he was surprised to find that she fit the role of housewife better than he'd imagined, as he noticed the apron along her front as she stir fried what smelled like mixed vegetables and beef. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, looking much like a pretty, young homemaker, as she hummed a tune he wasn't familiar with. Not that he knew much about contemporary human music, but it seemed to be a dance number, as her hips swayed and her shoulders moved to the quiet beat. Inwardly he decided he rather liked it, especially if it meant she was going to wear that smile of hers for the rest of the night. He was tired of her scowling at him. That didn't scream of vacation at all.<p>

Leaning against the wall along his side, he wondered how long it was going to take her to acknowledge him. He had no doubt she knew he was there since she'd always had a sixth sense about creatures with auras much stronger than her own. But she didn't turn to look at him, opting to finish seasoning something that smelled like fish and stirring the sauce for the vegetables.

"Hey, can you get some bowls and chopsticks?" she asked, plating it all very carefully, meticulous so as not to drop a single piece or let one droplet escape. He chuckled amusedly at her concentration, moving towards the cupboards and finding what they needed. He set the table, taking the food from her even as she tried to protest his help. Nudging her hip with his own, he tossed his head in the direction of the table, telling her to take a seat. When everything was placed between them, he thanked her for the meal, not noticing that she'd pinked at the words while she bit into a piece of the fillet.

"I didn't know you could cook," he said offhandedly, scooping up a bit of the stir fry and mixing it with a bit of his rice. His miso soup had already been desecrated while a good amount of the fish was gone as well, both his doing. And while it would've annoyed Karin if anyone else tore through her food so quickly, the fluttering in her chest told her that she didn't mind it this time, not if it was Toushirou. And she knew that she was sliding into dangerous territory if that was what was going through her head.

"You never asked," she replied, less interested in eating and more content with watching his expressions. If her family saw her, they'd swear she was sick, sit her in the clinic for a check-up and then probably force feed her the rest of her dinner. Because Kurosaki Karin had an appetite that could compete with a grown man's, and everyone who knew her acknowledged it. It wasn't a bragging point, but it wasn't something she was ashamed of either. But somehow, watching that content and gleeful look on the other's face made her feel a little more sated than she'd originally thought.

"Thanks for dinner," he said, as collected the dishes and walked over to the sink.

"No problem," Karin shot back, as she gathered up her own and the remaining ones to follow him. When he pushed up the sleeves to his shirt, she raised her voice to stop him. "You don't have to wash dishes, you know. You're my guest."

"But you cooked. This is the least I can do," he countered, taking the last of the dishware from her hands as he began to soap up the sponge and scrub. Although she continued to tell him otherwise, Hitsuagaya didn't listen as he went through the process methodically, getting rid of each speck of food before rinsing and placing it on the drying rack. It was a surreal experience, watching as a shinigami captain cleaned the last of her plates and utensils before wiping his hands on the nearby towel.

"It's getting late. Don't you have more tests tomorrow?" Toushirou inquired, as he watched Karin rearrange the newly cleaned silverware. He'd never have striked the young woman as someone with OCD when it came to her things, but then again he'd never really paid attention before.

"Yeah, but it's okay. I've already studied for them," she tossed over her shoulder, absentmindedly fixing the utensils as she did so. "You take the bed, alright? I'll just sleep on the couch."

"I'm not taking your bed, Karin," the man growled, as if mad that she'd even suggest it.

Rolling her eyes heavenward, she snorted at his obvious disdain. "Look, you might have come here without telling me and washed the dishes even after I told you not to, but you're still a guest. Just take the bed. It's not like there's anything wrong with it."

Turning back to berate him for his overly polite manners, Karin didn't know he'd crossed the distance between them until she saw that he was looming over her. Somehow his hands had ended up on each side of her body, caging her against the counter as he stared her down. She knew that it was meant to intimidate her, force her to agree just because he was some big, bad _taichou_ from another world that enjoyed protecting others more than himself. But right now, as she tilted her head up to him and noticed that there was almost no space between them, she couldn't help but feel nervous with him so close. But there was no fear. Toushirou could never inspire something as dark as that in her, not even if he tried. Her mind brought forth their last goodbye, just the slightest press of lips before she ran back to her own world, a safety zone away from him and the perplexing and conflicting emotions he gave her. But that was then and this was now, as she saw him lean down towards her, eyes falling to half-mast in response. As the anticipation grew in her, she bit back a whine, her own eyelids closing as she waited for his lips to meet hers, just like before.

But then the chirping of her cell phone went off.

Both of them jumped at the noise, as some high-toned tune began going off and vibrating to the beat. Apologizing to him, Karin watched as he removed himself from her space, as she answered it in a slightly strained voice. "Hello? Oh, hi Yuzu… Yeah, I'll be coming home on Saturday… Um, probably around noon? Depends on when I leave here… Hey, can you do me a favor? I'm bringing someone home for a few days, so tell Beardy to set up an extra bed in Ichi-nii's room… Yes, he's a boy. Yes, you know him… No, we're _not dating_! Just tell the old man, please! ... Okay, bye."

"It was just Yuzu checking up on me," Karin offered, face still bright in spite of the silence. It wasn't as if he needed the explanation, especially since he'd just heard half of the self-explanatory conversation. But the shyness still hadn't left her, as she realized just how far she was willing to give up to this man. Not even a full day into his stay and she was practically at his beck and call. The thought was sobering as she straightened herself out and stood at attention, forcing her composure back together.

"Take the bed, Karin," he said a moment later, face turned determinedly away. She wanted to say no, object and tell him that he was in her house and thus playing by her rules. But she couldn't, not as she caught the storm in his eyes, a barely-there leash on his emotions that were fighting to come to the surface.

"But Toushirou…"

"Go to bed now, Karin, or we might end up doing something we'll regret in the morning." She held in a swift inhale, knowing that the deepening of his voice had nothing to do with annoyance or anger. Quite the contrary, it was actually a tiny stroke of lust, an attraction that had awakened when she'd grown up and he'd begun to take notice. And it was with unwillingness that he allowed himself to be controlled by it, but Karin had looked so small and defenseless, so unlike the self-sufficient girl he'd known his entire life. Matsumoto had always claimed he had a soft spot for damsels in distress, but he knew he hadn't fallen for one, not by any measure. So in the one moment she looked like one, he'd let himself be led by the nose, turning infatuated and completely unlike himself by her previously unknown gentleness. While she looked at him with confused but caring eyes, he let his own soften, willing away the bit of temptation, before placing a hand on her cheek and petting the prominent cheekbone that sat beneath his thumb. It pleased him to know she was still untried, the heat crossing her face in record time, as he smirked down at her with a teasing promise in his eye.

"It's time for bed, Karin. Just remember to dream of me before you go."

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><p><em>Stupid, fucking Toushirou...<em>

Yawning widely as she came out of her classroom, Karin hadn't found the strength to take her exam all that seriously, not when pretty emerald eyes appeared before her on the page and glittered with… _something_. She'd most closely liken it to sin, but just the thought of Toushirou and her together already made her uncomfortably hot all over. But there was something adulterous in his eyes when he looked at her, like he wanted to strip her of her innocence, though she wasn't sure if it was a literal or figurative meaning. She pretended she didn't already have an answer.

As she made her way out of the building, she paid careful attention to not cross paths with any of her friends or that adamant admirer she learned of yesterday. There was no way she was going to try and break down nearly a decade's worth of history to a bunch of people she was going to have to lie to anyway. Besides, it wasn't as if there was anything to tell. Maybe if she kept telling herself that the thought might actually become true.

Her eyes stopped on the large, formerly grassy field covered in snow, not a person in sight on it or near it other than herself. But just looking at it made her excited for spring, since she'd be playing on the newly grown green and running drills with her teammates. While she'd changed dramatically over the years, this was one aspect of her that hadn't, her love for soccer burning smaller than when she was a kid but just as brightly.

"Wanna play a game?" an easily recognizable voice asked, the slightest bit of amusement heard because of her longing-filled stare.

"Toushirou!" She whirled about to see the handsome man, still dressed in clothing much too thin for the snowy environment. Then again, he probably wouldn't have felt it even if he was stark naked, as Hyourinmaru adored his master and thus would never let anything happen to him.

"C'mon," he said, moving to stand before her and offering his hand expectantly, waiting for her to take it. He wasn't wearing gloves, though she was, and yet she could feel the heat of his fingers just as well as she could sense the tightening of his hold on her. The ball was tucked into the side of the goal; she guessed that he'd put it there much earlier since the snowfall had nearly obstructed it from view.

"Don't you think it's a little dangerous to be playing out here in the snow?" Karin asked, dribbling the black-and-white sphere between her feet while the other man defended against her. Frowning in concentration, she moved side to side to see if she could outpace him.

"It never stopped us before." Jerking the ball from her, Toushirou whizzed past Karin and headed for the opposite end. Gathering herself, she cursed him and his lightning fast reflexes as she chased him down. If she'd trained years and years to destroy hollows and save souls, she'd be just as quick and twice as sneaky, she declared silently to herself. And as they played with a fresh storm blowing overhead, they lost track of time as the rally continued between them. It was competitive, just like the two of them, but lighter, freer in a way that turned back the world to his last vacation, a time when ended up bailing her and her old soccer buddies out of another mishap, substituting even when he didn't have to. After all, there weren't many shinigami who would jump into a false body and help out a small girl in need. And yet he had, tossing away that oversized pride of his and acting as her friend, the best friend she'd ever had in this world and the next.

But just like how the seasons changed, it felt as if he was becoming so much more.

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><p><strong>AN<strong>: So, love it? Hate it? Still unsure? I'm not trying to match the prequel because that story was just all sorts of nonsense mixed with just a bit of HitsuKarin. But, I've given this story a plot and I do intend on bringing these two together officially. As hopeless as I am though, I can't not thrown in a little drama. Not angst this time, but I do have to make them work for it a little. :D

And in case anyone was wondering, the next chapter for "Going Against the Grain" is done! Will post that this weekend. And, since I have so much time on my hands, I'm gonna write an IchiRuki that has been attacking my brain for the longest time. A one-shot that's kinda been staring at the walls of my head and wondering when I was gonna get to it. So, yeah. Look forward to those and the second part throughout the next few days.

_Please read and review/favorite/alert!_ I'm always excited to hear your guys' thoughts. Until next time!


	2. Departure

**AN**: _OMG WHY WAS THIS SO HARD TO WRITE?_ I am happy to say that this story is done and over with now, but this chapter wasn't exactly a show of my writing prowess. But with so many wonderful stories updated last week, I was just so inspired to write... something! Anything! Also, more than a few people were asking about this chapter (*cough*_Melissa986_*cough*) so I felt compelled to just finish it. ;) I doubt inspiration was gonna hit me again for this, so I just buckled down and wrote it. I only hope it lives up to the expectations~

And finally, **thank you all soooo much for the wonderful reviews**. I really don't get to say it enough, but I'm so glad you guys enjoy what I write. I'm really encouraged by every single review (no matter the length or content or just general fangirliness of them). Haha. So, really, this is for you guys. =D

_Warnings_: More than 8,000 words and a little twist at the end (and it's probably something you guys won't like...). :( You've been warned!

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><p>The ride back to Karakura was silent but not uneasy.<p>

As the snow came down slowly, Karin drove in silence with Toushirou in the passenger's seat, watching it come down wistfully. Snowflakes still managed to bring a smile to his face even now and while it happened occasionally in Soul Society, it never looked quite as amazing there as it did here. There was something special about how the sky darkened, clouds shooing away the sunlight, as it lazily spilled over them, piece by piece. In the Living World, it was a calming sight, one that spoke of family and fireplaces or hot chocolate and lovers. Neither of which he really had much of, if he was honest.

_No, that's not quite right_, he thought to himself, eyes drifting to the carefully concentrating Kurosaki, the wet roads making the usually easy drive a terror. Staying with Karin for the last three days had been an eye opener to say the least, one that he appreciated but at the same time did not.

For example, who knew that the little tomboy of Karakura Town enjoyed singing in the shower, belting out some poorly produced pop song in a voice that sounded like nails on a chalkboard? When he'd woken up to her 'singing,' he thought he'd had a hangover (courtesy of his vice captain) and that noise was the ringing in his head. It took a few seconds for him to correlate the sound of running water stopping and Karin's _reiatsu_ returning to her room to the screeching, but when he did the laughter that had risen into his chest fell from his lips without restraint. There really were some things you couldn't learn about someone until you shared the same living space.

"Oi, what's so funny, Toushirou?" Karin asked suspiciously, eyes darting over to him as she kept her concentration on the road. Immediately she didn't like the amused grin on his face, nor did she trust that slight twinkle in his eye. "If you've gotta joke, then you should share it with the class."

He returned her comment with a pleasant smirk. "I promise you won't appreciate this joke. Take my word for it."

"Now you have to tell me. I don't do well with other people keeping secrets from me," she pushed, doing her best not to look in his direction in fear of their safety. Well, _her_ safety. Seeing as how her passenger was already dead, dying a second time wasn't really bound to happen, at least not via car crash.

"Nah, I think you can handle just it, just this once." They continued like that for the rest of the hour-long car ride, her poking and prodding at him while he threw around an ambiguous comeback (or six). The exchange served to soothe the tensions between them, an ice breaker that Karin hadn't know she'd needed. With all the recent jumbling of her emotions and stalwart confusion, she'd forgotten how good it was to smile freely at Toushirou without feeling like a love struck fool. So that for the first time in days, all of her old, irrational fears evaporated in the heat of the car and Toushirou's odd but familiar kindness.

* * *

><p>"I'm home. Yuzu, Ichi-nii, Goat Chin, you guys here too?"<p>

"Welcome back, Karin-chan!" the youngest of the Kurosaki clan greeted in that characteristic voice of hers. Stepping into the small hallway where the two guests were stripping themselves of their coats and snow boots, Kurosaki Yuzu was swaddled in an apron, ladle in hand for the stew she was making. But when she looked into her sister's hazel-colored eyes, Karin could literally see the wheels turning in her head, as her pretty twin looked between the two of them with unmasked excitement. All Karin could do was sigh wearily.

"Hitsugaya-kun is here too! I wasn't expecting him," Yuzu cried in that singsong tone of hers, as if she was pretending she had no idea. Which was made even weirder by the fact that she'd explicitly told the other woman over the phone (identity withheld, of course) and with Toushirou's presence nearby. It just goes to show that even after the eight years since she'd last brought him, Yuzu still considered him (and any other male she brought home who looked even mildly sensible) her suitor.

"Hello, Yuzu. Thank you for allowing me to stay here for the next few days," he replied, bowing low and using those exquisite manners that he'd learned over the last few decades. The bright flush of approval on her face didn't escape Karin, who swiftly elbowed her friend in the ribs for his polite conduct. He glared down at her when he straightened, just as she glowered up in return, her eyes distinctly telling him not to encourage the girl's overactive fantasy.

As Yuzu invited them to take a seat in the living room and bring their stuff in, Karin could feel the sliding of his arm around her waist as he walked past her, both of their bags securely held in his other hand. His words caused a flush to dance across her face, as he turned the corner with a knowing look over his shoulder.

"I think it's fine if she sees us that way. It's not like she's wrong, no?"

Sputtering, it took Karin a moment to find her words, though she didn't miss his overtly self-satisfied face when he turned away from her. "Don't just walk away after saying something like that, Toushirou!" Karin grumbled loudly, stomping as she followed the smug shinigami into her living room. "Besides, you didn't like it when she said that stuff when I was eleven, you shouldn't start caring now!"

"It's because it wasn't true when you were eleven, that's all," he shrugged, setting down their things in the corner, even as she continued to berate him one-sidedly. Looking over at the couch, he met Ichigo's defiant stare, as if he knew intimately what the two were talking about. Nodding at the decorated hero, he turned back to Karin, who had her arms folded over her chest while looking adorably put-out by his blatant ignorance of her.

"Man, you're as annoying now as you were when we first met," she said with an exasperated exhale, giving up because they were no longer on the same page. Instead of carrying on by herself, she turned her attention to the orange-haired man reclining on the couch with a newspaper in hand, her smile brightening at his usual scowling face. "Ichi-nii, you're back! How was your medical mission? Did Rukia go with you again?"

"Why'd you bring up the midget?" he asked sourly, as she went over to take a seat next to him, looking ready for him to tell a few of his stories. The singular interest flashed him back to childhood, those dark eyes following him with unadulterated trust and love. It pained him to think that one day he was going to have to give up that worship to someone else, to someone who might not be worthy for his baby sister, and as his eyes went to the stone-faced Hitsugaya across from him, he felt his own features tighten in protectiveness.

"You okay, Ichi-nii?" Karin interrupted, waving her hand in front of his face to catch his attention.

"Fine." But the short, clipped tone assured her that he was exactly the opposite, as her eyes followed his to Toushirou's form. Silently asking him why Ichigo was currently infuriated with him, Hitsugaya's nonchalant shrug only made her frown hard in his direction, displeased when she realized he knew exactly what the reason was but refused to say anything. She turned away before she said anything she might regret later.

"Is that my little Karin-chan who has yet to greet daddy but still brought home some mysterious boy to celebrate the holidays with us? Oh, Masaki my love, our children have grown up so fast and now they're introducing us to their own loves!" Barreling in from the adjacent family clinic, Karin's mood took another nosedive when her father promptly wrapped her into a bear hug, one she politely decided not to fight. It was Christmas and she only had to put up with him for a few weeks. The least she could do was play nice, even if all she wanted to do was want to kick him in the nuts and force his hold on her.

"Oi, Old Man, there are no 'loves' in this house other than familial kind, which is pretty much why you're not on the ground crying right now," she said evenly, glaring at him straight in the eyes since he'd lifted her small frame to his height. His overly shocked face only made her roll them, expression still schooled into her usual passive-aggressive boredom.

Setting her down gently, the man of the house ended up against the wall, sobbing into the gigantic poster of his beloved wife. "Masaki-chan, did you hear her? Karin-chan's become so beautiful and poised and yet she still talks to daddy like that! If only you were here for Christmas—" he began to stroke the paper, making Ichigo and Karin's eyes twitch in disgust, "—then maybe she wouldn't be so embarrassed about bringing that handsome shinigami captain friend of hers to properly introduce him to the family. Well, at the very least our second son has finally arrived, right?"

And just like that, her temper snapped.

"Who're you calling your 'second son,' you old fart? As if I'd bring the guy I like home to meet the likes of you!" With a well aimed flying kick, Karin slammed her father into the wall, indenting his face into the plaster with a crack that seemed to make the entire foundation sake. From his seat, there was some definite pride on Ichigo's face, Toushirou noted, as if he'd taught the younger girl how to beat thing black and blue (which was probably the truth and not something one should be proud of at all, in his opinion). Shaking his head with a sigh, he merely reclined in his seat, just biding his time until this phase of the family reunion was over.

While Yuzu attempted to rouse the fallen man from his attack, Karin swiftly turned away and went into the kitchen, sifting through the fridge but finding nothing appetizing. As Isshin slowly began to regain consciousness, the dark-haired girl leaned against the counter and took a large whiff of the boiling stew before asking with a light voice, "So, is lunch ready?" Toushirou just barely held in a snort of laughter, as her younger twin reprimanded her for her insensitivity.

Yes, there was no place quite like the Kurosaki home.

* * *

><p>"We're never going to speak of this day ever again."<p>

"What was that, Toushirou?" Karin inquired, looking between two similar sweaters but of different colors and seeming completely at a loss. Growling in his throat, the old spirit shifted his weight to his other leg impatiently, reluctant to repeat his words. But if she took a good look at him, Hitsugaya was sure Karin would understand exactly what he meant.

"I just can't decide which one Yuzu would like better…" she continued to murmur, as she spun to direct her full attention to him, holding out the choices authoritatively. The throbbing at his temples intensified under her inspection of him. "Which one do you think she'd like?" He stood there in response, speechlessness written all over his features, but he found his voice soon enough.

"Please tell me you did not just ask me that."

Confused, she frowned at him. "Why not?"

"Karin, I am a high-ranking captain of the _Gotei_ Thirteen who maintains balance throughout three worlds, wields the strongest ice zanpakuto in all of Soul Society and has achieved powers far beyond your comprehension." Toushirou paused for dramatic effect and to take a deep, soothing breath at the Kurosaki's mildly unimpressed face. "And now I've been reduced to carrying your Christmas shopping and helping you pick out presents for your family. As if I haven't been degraded enough, I'm now being forced to choose between a pink knitted sweater and a beige cotton one. Tell me, does that not sound as ludicrous to you as it does to me?"

When she adopted a contemplative look, Hitsugaya bit back a scathing comment that he wanted to hurl at the dark-haired woman, offended she even had to wonder since the question was rhetorical. However, her answer brought that feeling out again and multiplied it a hundred-fold.

"Nope, I don't feel a thing other than amusement and just a little bit of Christmas spirit," Karin shot back at him with a wide smile, looking as if she'd known all along that she was causing him immense pain and embarrassment by carting him around like her servant. If Matsumoto ever got wind of this blasphemy, she'd either laugh until she passed out or find a way to get him to do the same with her when she came back for her own reckless splurge.

"The things I go through for you…" he grunted beneath his breath, as he pointed at the tan-colored choice, the bags in his hand swaying precariously from the sudden movement. "That one's more suitable. The pink is something you'd have given her when you were in high school so it probably wouldn't suit her now." Weighing the decision in her head for a second, she turned a glare to the white-haired man, who was giving her the same expression. However, hers was much more suspicious.

"How do _you_ know so much about what Yuzu would want?" she accused, putting the pink down before stalking forward, the clothing dangling over her arm.

He rolled his eyes, exasperated. "I don't. But I do know the kinds of things you like to give—which are usually useful but personalized and something you could see them receiving with excitement and-or confusion and embarrassment—even if you yourself can't seem to make the simple decision on your own." Turning, he made his way over to the register, making her keep up with him as they fought through the crowd.

There were so many people around and with only three days until Santa's big day, everyone was on a blitz to find the right things for their loved ones. Why Karin hadn't taken care of her business weeks ago was still a mystery to someone like Hitsugaya, who planned his way through every aspect of his life with meticulous and calculated care.

As they clambered into the ridiculously long line, the two stood in relative silence. Looking around the large department store, Karin couldn't help but notice the number of couples doing their shopping, girls giggling and hanging off their boyfriends' arms in an exaggeratedly cute manner. The need to roll her eyes was immense, but she pushed it aside as the two were caught by a thrush of incoming people.

With an angry curse, Toushirou kept them in place by holding Karin against him, securing her bags on his other side as they waded out the numerous customers who were pushing up and down the walkway. As he gathered her smaller frame and stabilized them, the fact that he was growing more and more impatient didn't escape Karin. She didn't mention that she was grateful for his company, and even though she felt inclined to say so, she decided against it, in fear of inadvertently unleashing his temper.

After nearly an hour of waiting (and having a merry ol' time watching Toushirou fend off flirts who "accidentally" didn't notice his companion), they reached the register, Karin placing the single sweater down. If she didn't know any better, she could swear that the relief on Hitsugaya's face was comparable to a treasure hunter finding the Holy Grail, the creeping desperation making way for elation. Well, it would look that way if the older man would let himself show that kind of emotion every once in a while.

As they trudged through the light-strewn streets and frozen slush, Karin attempted to wrestle a few bags from the captain, getting pissed off when he refused to hand even one over. To be honest, she'd felt weird about him doing this ever since the first store they'd visited, where he'd grabbed the bag before she'd even paid and subsequently continuing the pattern for every shop after. It was embarrassing for her to be treated like some weak girl, as if unable to handle her own packages.

"Seriously, just _one_ bag! I'm not gonna die from it!" she argued, trying to rip one from his solid grip. It didn't budge an inch.

"It wouldn't be right to have you carry your own things if the main reason I even came was to help you," he explained, annoyingly composed and coherent in the face of her petty anger.

"You don't have to be a gentleman or anything. That kinda stuff's more for movies anyway," Karin grumbled with a large sigh, as they turned the corner to get off the main street and back towards the suburban areas. A part of her wanted to take a little bit of ice and shove it in his face, but she knew she'd probably be digging her own grave. Even she had a bit of self-preservation in her when it came to toying with otherworldly beings.

"Stop complaining for a second and let me take care of you." Despite knowing that the sentence was said in the heat of the moment, Karin couldn't help the amazement on her features, as if she was hearing something she was sure she'd never come across again. It made her stop suddenly in the middle of the empty sidewalk, the bits of snow coming down their only company. A few feet away, he did the same, crunching the frost beneath his feet when he turned back to her.

"What did you say?" she asked, eyes wide as if startled and knocked off balance. From her appearance, Hitsugaya didn't doubt that was exactly how she felt.

With a tortured sigh, he shook his head, looking almost hesitant. "Sometimes, Karin, you just need to be taken care of. Can't you give me this one little thing?"

There was a limit to self-sufficiency and independence and all of those things she held so dear, he wanted to reason but decided against it. No matter what he said now, Karin's personality wouldn't change overnight nor willingly just because of a few words. But that was okay, he surmised, as he turned back and treaded towards the Kurosaki's residence, not minding if he left her behind to sort herself out.

To Toushirou, there was nothing about Karin that he'd change, not one habit or flaw, no matter how great or aggravating. All he wanted to do with that moment was make the point that there would always be a place for him with her, one he'd realized after years of patient waiting and watching, dissecting their friendship until there was nothing more to find. But what he discovered there was much more disconcerting than anything he could've ever imagined.

* * *

><p>He was expecting him before he even walked through the doorway. Honestly Toushirou was a little surprised that it'd taken him this long to approach in the first place. After all, Kurosaki Ichigo wasn't well known for his patience, his can-do attitude getting him into trouble more often than not and yet still had him saving their entire universe just as easily.<p>

But protecting three dimensions and looking out for one's sister were two different things, Toushirou told himself, as he sat at the kitchen table in the middle of the night, a newly made snack in front of him when his eyes met dark brown ones. They exchanged muted greetings before turning away, the young captain to his food and Ichigo to the refrigerator. The silence continued as Ichigo took a seat with a glass of water in his hand, choosing to sit across from the other.

Ichigo didn't mince words. "What's going on with you and Karin? And if you say nothing, Toushirou, I'm going to go _bankai_ right here and take you out, even if it means destroying my kitchen."

"That's a little maniacal, isn't it?" Toushirou side-stepped, shrugging as he took a bite of his sandwich. Having a talk about his undefined relationship with Karin to an overprotective brother wasn't how he wanted to have his late night meal, but it couldn't be helped. At the very least he wasn't having this conversation with Isshin. That dialogue would either be a parody of the former captain's overacting or some scary mind game that would leave him forever scarred. With Ichigo, there was only bumbling honesty and intimidation, two things he could handle well enough.

"Just answer the question," the taller man growled, taking a large gulp of water to calm his nerves. Hitsugaya was impressed he hadn't broken the glass, especially considering his tense grip around its middle.

"I don't know what's going on with me and Karin. And, to be honest, I don't think either one of us cares too much." It was a truthful answer but not the right one, not if the way Ichigo's face was darkening meany anything. The domineering big brother was coming out and if he was a less courageous man, Toushirou was sure he'd look away. But he wouldn't back down because even if he couldn't define their relationship into perfectly understandable terms, whatever was between them wouldn't be written off just because it hadn't been named.

Even while suspicious, Ichigo's candor could be counted on to move things forward. "Are you taking advantage of my sister?"

"No. Not now, not ever."

"Is this thing mutual? Does she like you and do you like her, or are the two of you just curious about that childhood friendship turning into more?"

A hard frown overtook Toushirou's features. "I can't speak for Karin, but I do like her, as both a friend and something else. What it is, I can't tell you but I'm not going to try and convince you of what we are and what we are not."

As he said them, the words hung about in the air, becoming the metaphorical elephant in the room. No one with half a mind could easily put a label on all of their feelings, the mismatching of emotions and confusing run-ons not meant for public display or debate. The idea was made exemplary by Hitsugaya and Karin, two completely different people who just happened to share some unmarked affinity for the other.

If Hitsugaya could try to explain them to others, he'd say their relationship was like trying to tell the moon to stop chasing the sun, or trying to discover the meaning of life, a useless endeavor that would leave both philosophers and laymen alike with nothing but more questions. Because after years of tossing it through his head and breaking down their relationship to its bare bones, Toushirou wasn't any closer to defining this unshakable connection. And, after many sleepless nights and saddened bemusement, he'd learned to accept that maybe it was okay not to be sure what lied between them, just as long as he was sure that it was meant only for one another.

As he saw the silent but sure sentiment in Hitsgaya's face, deep down inside of Ichigo, the right locks clicked into place, as he found some solace in those hardened features. The hard truth that he couldn't fully appreciate their relationship was softened by the fact that neither he nor Karin seemed to either. And while it would've been neater and easier to just lump them into some category and be done with it, the orange-haired man knew that there was nothing simple or easy about his little sister and the shinigami in front of him. They were a complex and misunderstood pair, two parts to some whole he was sure that neither of them would've willingly chosen if they had had the chance.

Because Toushirou wasn't romantic enough to want some star-crossed lover from another dimension, and Karin wasn't weak enough to want someone who'd keep her safe from every little harm that could come her way. In the end, this love(?) of theirs was an unruly alchemy, compelling and heady in a way that overtook them completely and without their consent.

As he met Hitsugaya's eyes, he knew they held the faintest glimmer of resignation, and maybe just a sliver of approval. If anyone understood fate's compulsion and how it enjoyed overhauling one's life, no one was more sympathetic than Ichigo. Bathed in the fluorescence of the overhead light, neither man said another word, as a small bud of acceptance nestled itself into Ichigo's heart.

* * *

><p>When Toushirou decided his last day would be dedicated to seeing Granny Haru, Karin was more than willing to go with him, as she trailed after the man with an odd sense of déjà vu. It was early afternoon already and the ground was littered with old snow, partly melted but with large patches that had yet to disappear. From the looks of it, however, Karakura Town was due to have a white Christmas, if the looming clouds had their say.<p>

As her eyes went to Toushirou's tall form, she regarded him with a queer sort of softness in her eyes, as she remembered making him tell her where he was going before following after without a second thought. Regardless if he found her tagging along an irritant, she was excited to see the old woman, especially since her last visit had been right after her high school graduation nearly a year ago.

But what they arrived to was very different from what they were expecting.

In front of her house, a few worrying Pluses were bustling around the porch, going into fits of frenzy that neither of them comprehended. But as soon as they saw Karin, the small group rushed forward and began babbling incoherently, sentences caught by cries and sniffles that didn't fit the supposedly grown-up ghosts.

"Okay, guys, one at a time. I can't understand a thing you're saying," she chastised, moving ahead of her companion to intercept them and listen to their story. While trying to soothe them into a more coherent state, Toushirou watched with fearful eyes, a sense of loss filling him that wasn't unfamiliar. Perhaps because he was dead, those who straddled the line between the two sides called out to him more strongly.

"It's terrible, Karin-chan!" a brunette ghost yelled, dressed in a suit with a tail for a lower body. He was the ghost who had inhabited the home the longest, just a month shy of a year and although Karin wanted to ask, she supposed it would be rude to wonder why he was still in this world after so long. "Haru-baa-san is sick! She's so sick that she hasn't gotten out of bed in two days!"

"And she's all by herself?" Karin's question was punctuated by Hitsugaya's mad dash into the house, running down the hall and to the single bedroom near the back. Hot on his heels, Karin followed along with the army of ghosts, terrified of what could happen to their old caretaker if the two of them wouldn't be able to help her.

With the door already open, Karin halted at the mouth of it, staring into the small, _tatami_-lined room due to the graveness in the air, the feeling making her usually steady nerves quake. Kneeling beside a small, thinned figure, Karin's stare made contact with the back of Toushirou's head, sitting solemnly off to the side of the futon. Although he made no move to call her, she stepped in anyway, coming to kneel next to him and greet the old woman resting on the worn-out futon.

While the years had been kind to Granny Haru outwardly, it seemed that even she couldn't outrun the deteriorating effects of age, nor the call of death's voice that seemed to hover over her. Her face that had long been marred with wrinkles and lines was even thinner, probably because of her recent illness rather than the fact that she had grown older. Her frame was noticeably smaller, too tiny for a person to be considered healthy, and her breaths were ragged and short. But what was perhaps the most terrifying thing was that while the room was a bit on the cool side despite its heating, Karin knew the older woman was even colder, a tell tale sign that the end was coming, one she was too afraid to tell Toushirou.

Fortunately for her, it seemed that he already knew.

"Haru-baa-chan, it's me, Toushirou. I came back to Karakura to see you," he spoke quietly, the baritone of his voice loud in the eerily still room. Their ghostly followers were nowhere in sight, likely to provide them some solitude. Karin didn't doubt that they'd said their goodbyes to her human form long before now and were only waiting for her spiritual end to follow afterwards.

Her response was a mumbling of words, inaudible and incomprehensible, as those usually smiling eyes opened and fell on him. He held her stare, as she slowly seemed to register who he was, her brows furrowing before relaxing, a small but tired smile filling her usually serene face. Somehow, Karin couldn't help but think she'd never seen anything more beautifully heartbreaking.

"Toushirou-chan, oh my, have you grown so big since the last time…" With a slight pause between the words, the small woman gasped on an intake of breath, one that had squeezed at Karin's heart and caused Toushirou to cringe outwardly, uncomfortable. To ease the growing tension, Karin called out to the woman, shifting her interest onto her.

"I'm here too, Baa-chan. Remember me? Karin?" She tried to appear cheerful, but putting on a real grin in the face of death was something few, if any, could do. But the old woman didn't seem to notice the strain, as her eyes slid to meet her. The flash of recognition somehow made her heart warm in spite of the chilly atmosphere and the extraneous circumstances.

"Ah, Toushirou-chan's girlfriend has finally brought him back to visit," she chuckled, but it was followed by a whooping cough, one that had both of them flinching at the noise.

"You shouldn't talk so much, Haru-baa-chan. You're only going to make your condition worse," Toushirou scolded, standing up for a moment to search the room. Karin watched as he dipped into the drawers off to the side, wondering what he was so impertinently looking for in someone else's home. But the notion was gone when he came back with a large, brown blanket, thicker than the one covering her form, as he laid it over her with purposeful movements.

"Oh don't be like this, Toushirou-chan," the old woman wheezed, smiling brightly even as she seemed to tinker on the brink of this world and the next. "I was always wondering what happened to you, but now that I know you're doing fine it seems that I've worried for nothing. This old body of mine isn't quite what it used to be, so I was hoping to see you one last time in it."

"Don't say things like that. You're gonna be fine," he tried to reassure her, but the words were empty promises and they all knew it. Feeling helpless, Karin could see Haru's hand peeking out from beneath the covers, looking just as frail as the rest of her. Without a second thought, she grasped it in her own, calling the elder's focus again.

"Hmm? What is it, Karin-chan?" Those tired but happy eyes were hanging on a thread, barely conscious in the face of passing on. Her throat constricted, as she squeezed the cold, bony fingers, willing the sting behind her eyes away and brightening as much as she could.

"Toushirou's right, Haru-baa-chan, you need to rest. How am I supposed to come back and visit you after the school year if you don't start taking care of yourself better?" However, the pretty words were just that, superficial, filled with the tremors of emotion she was sure Toushirou felt even more than she did. He was merely better at hiding them.

With a faintly pitying look in her eyes, the aged woman tightened her grip in turn, trying to provide her a bit of reassurance. But Karin was more overwhelmed than calmed by the kindness, as she pulled her face away, trying to rebuild her composure. As she began to talk again, the elderly woman's voice was noticeably weak and thready, but the strength of experience was heavy in her conviction, as if the next statement might just be her last.

"Karin-chan, there's no need to put up a brave front. I'm dying and soon I'll get to be with my family, perhaps even with Toushirou-chan as well." The consoling had Hitsugaya reeling on the inside, his turmoil just barely concealed beneath his faulty mask.

He hadn't told his old friend that the afterlife wasn't heaven, not even close, and he'd never explained it to her, deciding that was something one should experience firsthand. Right then though, he wished he'd prepared her better, wished he had the right words and eloquence to tell her that it'd be okay when she got there. However, he'd learned early on that lying to ease one's conscience was most likely petulance at play but while he wouldn't give her false hopes for the future, neither would he take her current one away.

"I don't want you to go," Karin choked out, cursing the way her voice cracked on the last word, weak and childishly so. When an arm wrapped around her, she registered Toushirou's larger frame leaning against hers, that bit of his warmth the only comfort he knew how to offer. She clung to the small hand in hers and his radiating presence as if they were her only lifelines.

"But we must all go one day, and today is mine. I have lived far too long, in my opinion," she chuckled, the sound garbled as she found some pleasure in her own joke. It managed to make Karin smile grimly, as she and Hitsugaya listened faithfully. "Look, I've even lived long enough to see you two kids, who used to butt heads more than soccer balls, fall in love—" both flushed then, glancing at each other as if they wanted to correct her, "—I always wanted you two to realize just how perfect you were for each other. I thought so the first time you followed him here, acting like a young boy going after his big brother's shadow. But you've both matured so much. I only hope I could've been a small part of it…

"Take good care of her, Toushirou. And hopefully, I will see you very soon."

With those last words, Haru's wise, old eyes finally closed one more time, as her heart's pulse stopped and her breathing came to a slow halt. In that quiet and cold room, the strange woman with spiritual sensitivity met her end tranquilly, as her two onlookers mourned her leave in silence. As she slipped her hand from those limp fingers, Karin allowed herself to cry a bit for the woman she had come to care for as the grandmother she'd never had, a few tears that no other living person would shed for the lonely but kind soul. And when she didn't appear before them with a severed chain attached to her chest, both of them were sure she'd passed on easily, her earthly bindings weakened long ago and thus unnecessary.

Not saying anything, Karin stood to give the shinigami a moment to say his peace. Whether it was a few words or an unspoken farewell, she didn't know, as she went outside to offer them privacy. When she broke the news to all of the restless spirits outside, none were surprised or overly distressed, just sadly accepting of it all, as they thanked the two of them for coming to spend time with her during her last moments. After all, no one wanted to be all by themselves the day they left the living world, not even someone who had been ostracized from it for so long.

As she bid all of them goodbye, Karin felt for Toushirou's reiatsu, noticing that it was no longer in the home. He had gone elsewhere, probably to calm down and put himself back together again. She didn't blame him. A tragic loss was no less sad for a spirit than it was for a human. She knew he'd purposely held his tongue when Haru-baa-chan told him she'd see him again one day, both of them knowing full well that she'd never remember him even if their paths did miraculously cross. If that meeting occurred tomorrow, next week, next month or next century, the sting of her unrecalled memories would burn him and she knew that she couldn't understand his feelings at all in that sense.

She might've lost a friend, but today, Toushirou lost family.

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><p>Staring out into the distance, the setting sun had dyed the sky an array of colors. Reds and oranges and yellows mixed the sky's canvas in a way that no artist could imitate. It was moments like these that made him feel so small and insignificant, a sense of insecurity that many tried to ignore or run away from. Somehow it was that same pressure that felt the most consoling to Hitsugaya. That while he might be able to save lives and had the responsibility to keep peace in this world, he wasn't impervious to feelings of loss or frustration. And he'd grieve this death as if she was his own grandmother in Rukongai, as the thought tore through his chest, bitter like the bile that burned its way up his esophagus.<p>

"Thought you'd be here."

Hearing her voice didn't ease his nerves like it usually did, but he wasn't upset that she'd come either. In all actuality, he owed Karin. He'd needed a moment of reflection and she'd given it to him, a little bit of time so he could just be angry at himself, as unjust and misdirected as it was. Anyone would know that Toushirou couldn't have saved Granny Haru, for a human's first death was a mandatory one, but it didn't mean he couldn't be troubled by it just the same.

Taking in the scenery, he dully noted that the earth was heavy with new snow and that the sun would be setting soon, the winter days shorter and the sunlight weak in spite of the early hour. When she hopped over the railing to stand beside him, Toushirou didn't shift towards her in greeting, but instead kept watching the horizon. Despite social etiquette, he made no move to comfort her as he had back in the Granny Haru's house but it didn't look as if she needed it, and inwardly he was thankful for Karin's naturally robust personality. She rebounded fast (on the outside, at least), meaning she didn't expect anything more from him than a little acknowledgement, which was the only thing he could give at the moment.

"My dad's taken care of everything at Haru-baa-chan's place," she informed him, staring up at the dark blue sky that had overtaken more than half of the western part of the city. "She'll get her proper burial rites and will probably be cremated. I'll find a good place for her to stay so you don't worry about anything when you leave."

Taken aback by the news, Hitsugaya's surprised face met her serenely smiling one, as if she knew he hadn't expected her to go so far as to lay the old woman to rest. Because he hadn't thought about anything regarding a funeral, too busy wallowing in bereavement to think clearly, and for that he was ashamed of himself. He'd allowed Karin to do the things that should've been his job, a duty to his longtime friend. But the fact that she'd anticipated his uncharacteristic listlessness had his chest overflowing with emotion for this girl, a warm tingle that was slowly coursing through every last cell.

"Thank you." It wasn't nearly enough, but he didn't know what else to offer.

"There's no need to thank me," she replied in turn, shrugging as she adjusted the messenger bag over her shoulder. "I didn't do it for you or me, but for her. She deserved that much at least."

"Ah," he agreed, the small syllable airy, as a spout of misty air left his lips. With the sun gone over in the distance, Toushirou knew that he had to be leaving soon, since he'd promised the _soutaichou_ that he'd return punctually the next morning. But something held him in place, even with the temperatures well below freezing and with nothing else to see but the lights from the streets and houses. And while Hitsugaya might consider himself a bit dense at times, he knew exactly what was tying him down, as he moved his head in Karin's direction. Goodbyes were never his strongest areas, near the top of the list along with confessions and explanations. But if there was anyone who deserved to hear those things, it was her.

"Oh, before I forget," she interrupted his thoughts, as she opened her brown pack and rummaged through it, "I've got something for you. It's Christmas Eve, but since you won't be here tomorrow, I should give it to you now."

"You got me a present?" The obvious answer only had her rolling his eyes, as she presented him a square box wrapped in red and gold. Testing its weight, he noticed that it felt strangely light, knowing immediately it was clothing. A part of him wondered when she had the time to buy it, considering they'd spent the majority of their time together and yet he couldn't recall anything for him among her purchases.

"Well, are you gonna open it?" Folding her arms over her chest, she eyed him with impatience, a habit she'd had since childhood. With a reminiscent smile, he nodded, carefully tearing off the paper and lifting the cover.

Within the tissue sat a thin scarf that was folded immaculately, similar to the one he'd adopted years ago. Just a glance at it told him how expensive it was, as he curled his fingers along the edge and lifted it, letting it fall until it dangled a foot above the snow. Unable to hold in his surprise as he examined it, he figured that the cloth was unmistakably made of high-end cashmere, unfit for cold temperatures and battle. But he knew that it wasn't for either of those purposes, as he recognized the pale blue hue even in the poor lighting. If he didn't know any better, he'd swear it was the exact same color as Hyourinmaru's hilt. To think that Karin had spent any amount of time finding such a specific detail told him more than any of her off-handed words could, as he looked down at her with softly pensive eyes.

"It's usually hot in Seireitei, right? I picked out the material because I remembered you mentioned that it only snowed out in the farther Rukongai districts," she explained, speaking just a little too quickly and giving away her nervousness. "It should be pretty durable too, as long as you don't go crazy in a fight, and the color was perfect for you." She paused for an instant, scanning around her nervously before meeting his gaze. "Do you like it?"

"I do." The words were out before he could manage to contain them, but oddly he wasn't mad that they'd escaped. There weren't enough instances in his long life where he'd spoken freely for reasons other than anger but a good number of them were with her, he mused with a small smile. "Thank you."

She brightened, turning the wintry darkness into spring for a second. "You're welcome." Checking the time on her watch, her eyes widened a little at how late it'd gotten. "I gotta head back. Everyone's probably waiting for me to eat dinner and then we've gotta do all those weird traditions Goat Chin likes so much." She frowned before looking back up at him. "Are you sure you don't wanna stay for Christmas?"

"No, those things are reserved for families. I don't want to intrude," he shook his head as he spoke, looking her over before glowering lightly. She tilted her head in confusion. "It's below freezing now and you're only wearing that jacket?"

Shifting her gaze downwards, Karin was surprised to see that he was right. "Oh, I hadn't noticed. I'm not too sensitive to sudden shifts in the temperature and it was warmer earlier when the sun was still up."

Scoffing, he cleared the few steps between them and peered down at her with a mildly irritated gaze. If Karin didn't know any better, she'd swear he was trying to intimidate her, but that wouldn't work. After being joined at the hip for seven straight days, it was hard to fathom being on edge with him, even if he was trying to browbeat her.

Watching as he unfurled one of the ends of his scarf, Karin could only stand stock still as the lengthened material began to curl around her own neck, wadding tightly around her. By nature, it was thin so as accommodate his erratic lifestyle, but when it touched her skin, she thought it was very soft and rather warm from Hitsugaya's own body heat. The last bit made her flush prettily. Noticing how it had brought them impossibly close together, Karin opened her mouth to ask him why he'd taken his present and placed it around her without taking it off himself.

His answer was unexpected.

With no room to run and nowhere to go to, it seemed that Toushirou was every bit of the Tenth Squad's genius captain, as he used his ingenuity to lean down and kiss her deeply. As a hand buried deeply into her hair, Karin could feel the fight response dull in her core, relaxing into that strange heat that should've been chilled by the air. And as every one of her defenses fell, she let him into her, let him consume her in a way that she wouldn't have done with anyone else.

This wasn't anything like their first kiss, chaste and sweet and innocent, resembling their childhood friendship more than anything else. But _this_, this was completely out of her repertoire, she reflected helplessly, as his tongue found hers and stroked against it with a single expert motion. He had an odd control over her, an influence that was powerful and sensual, and nothing he'd ever used on her before. Each flick of that muscle against her own, her teeth, her lips, she could literally taste passion, overly sweet and much too addictive for someone to fight off. There had been few boys before Toushirou and no one of significance afterwards, and he damn well knew it, smugly relished it if the way he was trying to suck every breath of air she managed to take in meant anything.

As the tingles ran down her spine, the heat inside her was licking at the edges of her skin, stoked by the intervals of hard, incessant passion that drifted to calmer, kinder kisses. But then he'd catch his next wind and she was lost, doing her best to keep up with him as he trailed his lips across her cheeks, eyes, even the joint between her ear and neck. Unbidden, a whine of pure pleasure managed to break out from her mouth, and when she heard it Karin snapped back to her senses, self-conscious of her actions all of a sudden. However, Hitsugaya didn't hold the same sentiments as she did, as he drew himself away (though that wasn't very far thanks to that damned muffler he'd secured around them) and smirked pleasantly. He looked like a cat that had been given an entire bowl of cream, Karin pondered with a frown, the blush on her face having nothing to do with the weather.

"Next time, I'll find a more suitable place to kiss you," he promised, lifting his hand to thumb at her warmed mouth. When it fell back to his side, Karin licked at the place he'd petted so intimately, making his eyes darken in a way that made her shiver.

"Next time, I'll remember not to let my guard down," she challenged, sticking her tongue out at him childishly. The heat was starting to dissipate off her and for that she was glad, because now she could think a little clearer, act a little less recklessly. Then again, when it came to Toushirou, Karin wasn't very good with the whole head-over-heart thing. Sometimes it was much better for them to just act.

Chuckling, he tucked a stray piece of hair before unknotting the warmer and adjusting it around himself. It didn't escape him that her scent had permeated the material, bringing it to his nostrils and filling him contentedly.

Inside him, Toushirou knew that there was still so much left to unearth, so many contraries and queries about them that needed time to come into the light, much longer than a single vacation could provide. But they also needed to mature, to live their separate lives so that maybe, somewhere down the road, they'll be able to understand the strange and magnetic pull between them, this bond that transcends all logic. One day they'll find the threads of fate wrapped around their forms, tying them together so securely that neither her life nor his death can keep them from each other.

**THE END**

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><p><strong>AN<strong>: The greatest feeling in the world was putting those last two words at the bottom. Although the ending wasn't my favorite, I'm pretty happy with this part over all. But seriously, this was a really long chapter and while my writings are usually pretty long, this one was nearly twice the size. The last time I wrote something this length it was for _Be My Muse_ and that was a while ago. XD

And yes, I killed off Granny Haru! Terrible, right? But she was always meant to move on and since one of the major episodes of HitsuKarin has her in it, I made her come back for one last hurrah. I hope you guys understand why I had her die (peacefully). ^^;;

Thank you all so much for reading and I hope you'll all do me a favor and click that button at the bottom since they are my writing life force. Haha.

Until next time, everyone~


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